Overall mobile phone sales are predicted to be down from 2008; the Android Market now has 20,000 applications; and the recent release of Google Chrome beta helped give the browser a slight lead over Safari in market share.

Gartner: Weak 2009 for mobile phones

Though it could have been worse, research firm Gartner said Tuesday that overall mobile phone sales in 2009 will end up down 0.67 percent at 1.214 billion units. That's an improvement over September, when the firm had projected the year would see a 3.7 percent decline.

The situation has improved due to stronger than expected sales in Western Europe. But reduced sales in Eastern Europe, Japan, Latin America and Africa will bring overall sales down from 2008's 1.222 billion.

2010 is predicted to improve, as Gartner has forecast growth of 9 percent. That would amount to 1.322 billion sales for the calendar year.

Smartphones will represent 14 percent of the market in 2009, nearly a 25 percent increase over 2008. That growth was partially driven by the blockbuster success of Apple's iPhone, which sold a record 7.4 million handsets last quarter.

But smartphone growth may not be all good for the industry, Gartner said. Because most devices like the iPhone are accompanied by expensive data plans, it could increase the total cost of ownership beyond the levels of mass-market acceptance.

Android reaches 20,000 apps

The Android Market now has more than 20,000 applications available for devices that run Google's mobile operating system. According to AndroLib, more than 60 percent of those are free, while more than three-quarters of the software available on the iPhone App Store are paid.

Android's total, reached just over one year into its existence, is nowhere near the 100,000 milestone achieved by Apple's App Store in early November, or the 50,000 it had by year one.

For more on the App Store and Android Market, view AppleInsider's in-depth coverage with Inside Google Android and Apple's iPhone OS as software markets.

Google Chrome ekes by Apple Safari

The latest Net Applications data shows that the beta release of Chrome for Mac has pushed the Google browser barely beyond Apple's Safari in terms of total market share. Last week, Google took the No. 3 spot with a 4.4 percent market share, an increase of 0.4 percent. For the period of Dec. 6-12, Safari had a 4.37 percent share.

A week ago, Chrome for Mac was finally released as a beta, more than a year after its Windows counterpart first debuted. Net Applications' tracking of 40,000 Web sites found that the browser accounted for 1.3 percent of all Mac OS X users. Prior to its beta release, Chrome accounted for 0.32 percent of Mac users.

Both remain well behind the leader, Internet Explorer (which carries more than 60 percent of the browser share), and second-place option, Firefox (which has about 25 percent).

Soon after its release, a speed test of Google Chrome found it to be slightly slower than Apple's Safari. Safari was also found to be twice as fast as Firefox and over ten times faster than Opera in SunSpider JavaScript benchmarks.

"Soon after its release, a speed test of Google Chrome found it to be slightly slower than Apple's Safari. Safari was also found to be twice as fast as Firefox and over ten times faster than Opera in SunSpider JavaScript benchmarks."

It should be clarified that it was the Mac version of Chrome that was slower than Safari. Also, let's not forget it's still in beta--it'll be interesting to see if anything changes upon its public release.

— I don’t think the drop in handset market was due to the economy so much as people holding onto their phones longer because they are buying nicer phones and waiting to see what else is coming down the pipes for future releases. I have several anecdotal stories about people waiting for the iPhone, Droid, Pre and other devices while in the past they simply would have gotten an available phone from a carrier. I look forward to seeing how much the handset market has changed over calendar years 2008 and 2009.

— Good for Android. With more app types than Apple offers with their more closed system and the shear number of devices that will adopt Android I doubt it will take more than 2 years for Android Marketplace to overtake the App Store in number of available apps. They are at risk with some serious foundation issues but hopefully they’re working on a fix.

My biggest concern is the number of free apps. If developers can’t make money then the good ones will push their wares on platforms that can make them money.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

"Soon after its release, a speed test of Google Chrome found it to be slightly slower than Apple's Safari. Safari was also found to be twice as fast as Firefox and over ten times faster than Opera in SunSpider JavaScript benchmarks."

It should be clarified that it was the Mac version of Chrome that was slower than Safari. Also, let's not forget it's still in beta--it'll be interesting to see if anything changes upon its public release.

Have you benchmarked Chrome for Windows and compared it to Safari for Windows? My Safari still comes out ahead on a 64-bit version of Win7.

Once Chrome for Mac goes 64-bit I expect that well see some speed increase the way that Safari running in 32-bit mode is considerably slower than the 64-bit version.

All-in-all, both are close enough and faster enough that the speed really doesnt matter. Plus, its just for JS rendering, not for the anything else. Its really down to user preference. I prefer Safari for Mac and IE8 for Windows with Crhome Frame set to default in IE. I like browsers than integrate well and Firefox and Chrome dont do that.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

Good for Android. With more app types than Apple offers with their more closed system and the shear number of devices that will adopt Android I doubt it will take more than 2 years for Android Marketplace to overtake the App Store in number of available apps. They are at risk with some serious foundation issues but hopefully theyre working on a fix.
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Number of Apps is meaningless. Windows has more Apps then Mac will ever have but you don't want windows do you? It is about functionality. Can people do what they want to do. In fact, I would say that the greater the number of Apps the worse it is. Just more garbage to go through to get to the useful apps. I think it is funny how Apple pumps the number of Apps in the App Store for iPhone when that is exactly what Windows has over a Mac. Apple does a 180 on the Mac and says it is not about all the crapware it is about only having what you need.

Too bad there is not some Marketing Police that can call them on their BS.

Number of Apps is meaningless. Windows has more Apps then Mac will ever have but you don't want windows do you? It is about functionality. Can people do what they want to do. In fact, I would say that the greater the number of Apps the worse it is. Just more garbage to go through to get to the useful apps. I think it is funny how Apple pumps the number of Apps in the App Store for iPhone when that is exactly what Windows has over a Mac. Apple does a 180 on the Mac and says it is not about all the crapware it is about only having what you need.

Too bad there is not some Marketing Police that can call them on their BS.

The number of apps is not meaningless, but it is relative.

Take the Pre, for example. Even if you wanted every one the 250(?) apps they offer I doubt that you’d think that number covers the gambit of all potential users' needs and wants in 3rd-party apps. Having 10s of thousands of apps helps to make sure your platform will not fade away because of lack of use. As you grow having more apps ensures even more choices.

I’m not going to search one-by-one though a 1000 apps or 10,000,000 apps so the number of “garbage apps”—which really refers to apps I am not interested in not to their actual quality—is a moot point. Case in point, the internet is better than it’s ever been despite there being considerably more sites to choose from and thuse more garbage. Most I don’t even know about because I search for the ones I want. These mobile app stores are no different.

PS: The only marketing police are when a company lies. There is nothing wrong with marketing your product to push more product, so long as you’re technically honest about it. Plus, I don’t recall Apple stating that Windows app are crapware. One of the most popular 3rd-party apps on Windows in iTunes and on the Mac has been Office.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

Number of Apps is meaningless. Windows has more Apps then Mac will ever have but you don't want windows do you? It is about functionality. Can people do what they want to do. In fact, I would say that the greater the number of Apps the worse it is. Just more garbage to go through to get to the useful apps. I think it is funny how Apple pumps the number of Apps in the App Store for iPhone when that is exactly what Windows has over a Mac. Apple does a 180 on the Mac and says it is not about all the crapware it is about only having what you need.

Too bad there is not some Marketing Police that can call them on their BS.

Number of apps at this point in the new smartphone landscape is a major selling feature. Remember, these are apps on a device that can fit into your pocket. That's a big deal, and that frames the whole "more apps" argument in a totally different light. At this point, the more the merrier.

Windows/Mac is a completely different paradigm, and the desktop/notebook computer platform with applications, or "programs", as they used to be called, is extremely mature. Install several programs onto your hard drive on your home computer. Pretty standard stuff. Now install several apps onto your smartphone that put the power of a computer into a small, mobile device with a slick, user-friendly UI. That's a big deal.

More apps on the iPhone means more mobile power to do abc or xyz, and that's what's most important at this time. At some point the App Wars will even out, but right now the most robust App Store wins, and Apple is way ahead of the game on that count. Further, all the great apps are developed or are being developed for the iPhone at this time, so the more apps the iPhone gets the more great apps it will proportionally.

But how much of the smartphone market? The two tend to be separated, if I'm not mistaken.

That figure includes the smartphone market and a lot more vendors than we find in the PC market. The range in prices and profit are so different between the low and high end devices that even with the 2% they took last quarter they managed to secure the lions share of the operating profits.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

Number of Apps is meaningless. Windows has more Apps then Mac will ever have but you don't want windows do you? It is about functionality. Can people do what they want to do. In fact, I would say that the greater the number of Apps the worse it is. Just more garbage to go through to get to the useful apps. I think it is funny how Apple pumps the number of Apps in the App Store for iPhone when that is exactly what Windows has over a Mac. Apple does a 180 on the Mac and says it is not about all the crapware it is about only having what you need.

Too bad there is not some Marketing Police that can call them on their BS.

I am not sure you can apply that kind of thinking to Computer interaction and iPhone interaction. iPhone is clearly something that is always with you, so it has much more potential for crazy ideas and apps. Computer's are more about the job to be done and some games, rather than 100% all the time fun.
Apple loves playing Microsoft in the phone industry. Let them be, they deserve it for once. (well and music industry)

I did a search for "fart" through the iTunes desktop interface for the App Store, and 370 apps came up. Two full pages of 180 apps each plus a third page with 10 apps. Not all of them had "fart" in their name, either.

Does this number sound right? Am I only being shown a sampling, or is the search capped to the first 400 or so? There HAS to be more. I'm not even sure how to filter these searches via iTunes.

It would appear that the only people who are really complaining about the number of apps for the iPhone are:

1) A minority that populate Apple fansites

2) iPhone-haters/proponents of competing platforms.

Seems the consumer at large is positively tickled pnk about the number of apps availalble for the iPhone. It's a huge selling point, and has been for a while now. And it looks like it will help Apple with another record-breaking quarter for iPhone sales.

All we really need are more effective ways to filter apps when searching/browsing for them.

But how much of the smartphone market? The two tend to be separated, if I'm not mistaken.

Personally, I don't think they should be separated, at least not any longer. The smartphone category was created to describe multi-featured phones appealing mainly to geeky types. Apple is proving that hardly anybody really wants a "dumb" phone anymore. So that 3% to me shows how much more growth opportunity Apple's got in the phone market. Put it this way, just 5% of the 2010 market would be 65 million phones!

It would appear that the only people who are really complaining about the number of apps for the iPhone are:

1) A minority that populate Apple fansites

2) iPhone-haters/proponents of competing platforms.

Seems the consumer at large is positively tickled pnk about the number of apps availalble for the iPhone. It's a huge selling point, and has been for a while now. And it looks like it will help Apple with another record-breaking quarter for iPhone sales.

All we really need are more effective ways to filter apps when searching/browsing for them.

I love my ipod touch, and I love its applications. Didn't stop me going through and deleting a ton of the app's i had on it because they mostly suck.

I occasionally look through the apps store, but becuase of the way its setup, it doesnt do a whole heap to convince me that it isnt full of suck.

At this point, between the iPhone and Android platforms, the number of apps are irrelevant. Both have roughly the same number of useful apps that cover the uses of the phone. There may be more selection on the iPhone but those selections aren't necessarily better.

Hey, good for Chrome. Anything that eats into IE's share is fine by me.

Yeah, the goal is to get everyone on the same standards. Getting Microsoft and Mozilla to stop with the proprietary stuff and get on the Webkit bandwagon is all I care about. I'm actually quite happy that Safari isn't popular with "the masses."

It is a bit ironic that one of the biggest digs at Safari for Windows was that it had an overly simplified interface, and here Chrome is even more minimal. On the other hand, Chrome will support plug-ins, so before too long, the "minimalist" browser will look as butt ugly as any FireFox installation, and most people's home pages will still look like MySpace from hell.

As often as it seems like Apple and Google are going to step on each other's toes, in the end it always seems to end up with a synergy of some sorts. I think RIM and Nokia are the players with the most to lose, not Google. (Actually, Motorola is the company that stands to lose everything in the handset market.)

Would Google buy HTC or Motorola if they wanted to enter the handset market in hardware?

I could go into best buy and see the same percentage of apps that also suck for the PC platform, and most of them still expect to run with w95 style "liberties".

Most people who bring up the fart apps never state that their OS of choice is any better. They just want to bring the iphone into the pile of mud they are in.

That being said, I want GV for android and a tether app and a good video player, all not available for the iphone. No, it has to play HP h.264 in mkv containers at LV3 or 720x480 resolution or below, and vorbis audio in it.

Way more than 10% of apps have some value, but it depends on who you are. Right now, there are lots of medical apps being added that are basically remote control/status apps for medical equipment. If I was a doctor, I'd care about quite a few of them. If not, they have zero value to me. Also being added are Japanese apps and Korean apps, that if you can't read Japanese or Korean are of zero value. But if you could...

The iPhone is getting plenty of vertically-integrated apps that appeal to particularly professions, and moving international. And that's just like Windows did in building its platform.

Number of Apps is meaningless. Windows has more Apps then Mac will ever have but you don't want windows do you? It is about functionality. Can people do what they want to do. In fact, I would say that the greater the number of Apps the worse it is. Just more garbage to go through to get to the useful apps. I think it is funny how Apple pumps the number of Apps in the App Store for iPhone when that is exactly what Windows has over a Mac. Apple does a 180 on the Mac and says it is not about all the crapware it is about only having what you need.

Too bad there is not some Marketing Police that can call them on their BS.

Isn't that the point of marketing - to call out what is best about your product while ignoring all else? Some obvious examples today are Verizon and DROID. And also AT&T, after Apple showed them how to talk clearly about simultaneous voice & data in their ads instead of fretting over 3G coverage. And Apple, of course, with its laserlike focus on the App Store.

And as always, it's up to the viewer to determine what message is more important to him/her. It's not BS, as different aspects are important to different people.

As often as it seems like Apple and Google are going to step on each other's toes, in the end it always seems to end up with a synergy of some sorts. I think RIM and Nokia are the players with the most to lose, not Google. (Actually, Motorola is the company that stands to lose everything in the handset market.)

I don't know what Google's or Apple's real intentions are, but Google and Apple are each protecting themselves from a dependence on the other for core elements; sometimes protection through defense and sometimes it's through offense.

If Apple were to evict Google from the iPhone, that is, remove Google search and maps and Youtube from their prime positions in the iPhone, that would be a significant setback to Google's mobile ambitions right now... if Google did not have Android and other handsets to fall back on.

If Google were to build a competing mobile ecosystem through having better Google apps/services integration and Android, that would very much slow Apple's ability to get a solid share of the mobile handset market... if Apple did not have high-quality app/service alternatives, either their own or somebody else's, to fall back on.

Possibly Apple's "rejection" of GV and Latitude was the opening shot. Or maybe Google's release of Android itself was the opening shot before that. Regardless, will this escalate or will it fall into an uneasy balance between rivals?

Note: This is reminiscent of how Apple protected itself from being squeezed out of multimedia by Microsoft by investing heavily in Quicktime as an alternative to WMP, and in media apps like Final Cut. What was defensive was turned into a great offensive with iTunes and iPod. Apple has since also protected itself from Office and IE being removed by investing in iWork and Safari, though Apple was very late to realize its dependence there.

Personally, I don't think they should be separated, at least not any longer. The smartphone category was created to describe multi-featured phones appealing mainly to geeky types. Apple is proving that hardly anybody really wants a "dumb" phone anymore. So that 3% to me shows how much more growth opportunity Apple's got in the phone market. Put it this way, just 5% of the 2010 market would be 65 million phones!

So Apple selling 3% of all phones is proof that no one wants non smartphones anymore? That is the dumbest thing said here so far

When 97% of cell phones don't purchase an iPhone is a pretty dumb thing to write

I read his use of the term want to specifically imply desire, not a feasible choice. Its obvious he knows that dumb phones are the vast majority of phones being sold in the world. The iPhone simply isnt a viable option for the hundreds of millions of customers buying/getting phones every year and when you look at how the handset vendors are trying to copy and/or trump the iPhone its not unreasonable to make that statement about want.

In your defense, I wouldnt use the term hardly anybody without qualifying it more since I would wager that most of worlds 4.8(?) Billion people have never seen an iPhone.

PS: I want a Bugatti Veyron and a Maybach and I will be getting neither.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

I read his use of the term want to specifically imply desire, not a feasible choice. Its obvious he knows that dumb phones are the vast majority of phones being sold in the world. The iPhone simply isnt a viable option for the hundreds of millions of customers buying/getting phones every year and when you look at how the handset vendors are trying to copy and/or trump the iPhone its not unreasonable to make that statement about want.

In your defense, I wouldnt use the term hardly anybody without qualifying it more since I would wager that most of worlds 4.8(?) Billion people have never seen an iPhone.

PS: I want a Bugatti Veyron and a Maybach and I will be getting neither.

Well like I say, if that is what he meant, that is what he should have said, not you trying to say what you think he meant.

"want" is not a metric of value, and trying to use it to predict anything is, shall I say, dumb.